A trial is being proposed in Staffordshire where bin lorries would be equiped with defibrillators (electric shock machines) to treat heart attack victims. If someone has a heart attack and there's no ambulance near by, they will send the bin lorry instead to give emergancy treatment.

The local ambulance service support the idea, and say the machines are automatic and there's no danger of them being used incorrectly.

I still think this is a bit crazy though. :loopy:

You see these all over the place, railway stations etc. I don't think they will send a bin lorry out, so much as if you have a heart attack, their may be a bin lorry in the area, or just outside.

What happens when the binmen are sued by relatives for making a mistake or not getting there in time and the heart attack person dies?
Are they going to have insurance, pyshcological backup? - and they should definitely be paid more!

How are the binmen going to handle the change from dealing with rubbish to being life savers? I'd find that tough! And what's going to stop all the germs from rubbish etc being transferred to a 'patient'? Doesn't exactly strike me as being healthy!

Hmm.... lots of question and not many answers at this stage...
:suspect:

Originally posted by Phanerothyme
I don't think they will send a bin lorry out, so much as if you have a heart attack, their may be a bin lorry in the area, or just outside.

What's the chance of a bin lorry being there at the time of a heart attack, though? The bin men only come once a week.

I still think it's a strange idea - it might be better to fit the machines to all police cars and fire engines first.

I agree it's strange. I don't suppose it can do any directharm, but it might be simpler to attach them to telegraph poles (mini defib kits that is)

Originally posted by Phanerothyme
I agree it's strange. I don't suppose it can do any directharm, but it might be simpler to attach them to telegraph poles (mini defib kits that is)

That's ok until you're walking back from a night out with the lads past a telegraph pole and your mate gives you a belt from the defib :D

Bin men are only in your area once a week and then only for a few hours.

Why not issue the machines to traffic wardens and social workers? They seem to be everywhere and love nothing more than interfering with peoples lives.

is this a wind up i know councils are short of money but it does sound a bit odd

LMAO - is this for real ? It's the funniest thing I've heard for days, will be chuckling tomorrow morning when they come down my road.